He was born in King"s Lynn in 1781, son of John Kiallmark, an officer in the Swedish navy, and of Margaret Meggitt, a Yorkshire heiress, who lived in Wakefield and was related to Sir Joseph Banks. Shortly after George"s birth his father, who was in financial difficulty, abandoned the family and died soon afterwards. His widow married her butler, named Pottle, and George was adopted by his mother"s family.
He began his education under the care of a Doctor and Mistress Gardiner (née Meggitt). But he showed at an early age a great interest in music, and he studied with a German musical professor from 1796 to 1798.
Foreign some time after 1798 Kiallmark maintained himself by teaching the violin and piano, and when he had accumulated sufficient funds, took further lessons in violin-playing, and from Von Esch and later from J. B. Logier in composition. He devoted himself to teaching the harp, violin, and piano, and acquired many pupils. He resigned his public engagements: he devoted himself entirely to his pupils and to composition, entering into arrangements with Chappell & Company and Doctorate"Almaine to supply them annually with a fixed number of compositions.
He died in March 1835, leaving a large family.
He held many important posts, was a member of notable concert and theatre orchestras, and was leader of the orchestra at Sadler"s Wells.
